Biopsy means taking a sample of tissue from the body for medical examination. Most often a biopsy is done to examine the tissue for disease. For example, a biopsy may be taken of an abnormal growth or change in the body or on the skin.

A biopsy may be done with a needle and syringe (called percutaneous biopsy) to remove a small piece of tissue. Usually the person is awake for this, and feels a small pinch where the needle enters and removes the tissue.

A skin biopsy may be done by numbing an area of skin with anesthesia and then removing a sample. Since the skin is numb, there is no pain. But the person may feel a stinging or burning sensation when the numbing anesthesia is injected, and a pulling sensation when the skin sample is removed. A stitch or two may be needed to close up the place where the sample was taken.

A person may also have a biopsy done while he is asleep under anesthesia if the tissue needs to be removed from inside the body. Since the person is under anesthesia, there is no pain during the procedure, although there may be discomfort when the person wakes up. In an open biopsy, a cut is made into the affected area and a tissue sample is removed. In a closed biopsy, a small cut is made into the skin and a camera-like device is inserted to guide the doctor to the right place to take the tissue sample.